Boffa says too early to gauge grog rehab scheme success

The People's Alcohol Action Coalition says it is good news the first graduate of the Northern Territory's mandatory alcohol rehabilitation program appears to have turned her life around.

Dr John Boffa says his criticism of the program was not about rehabilitation but about a system that could lead people who refuse treatment for alcohol addiction to end up in jail.

He says it is really far too early to tell if the rehab program is a success.

"There is still the possibility that people who don't comply with treatment for a chronic relapsing disease could end up in jail and that's our major concern," he said.

"In addition to that, we've said that we don't believe that a large number of people who go through this system will end up, or even a significant number of people, will end up alcohol-free at 12 months or two years."